Mace Weapon

The Medieval mace was a popular weapon in medieval times, it was mainly used by the cavalry and was probably an infantry weapon initially. The medieval mace weapon was a fearsome looking weapon, the most common design incorporated a long handle usually made from metal or wood with some type of metal spiked ball at the end, however there were many different mace weapon designs which usually involved small changes to the head such as flanged, knobbed or spiked mace heads. Unlike medieval flails maces did not have any chain at the end of the shaft connected to the spiked ball. Often the Medieval mace would have a spike sticking out of the end of the head. The morning Star was also a weapon that could be described as being a Medieval mace.

What were medieval mace weapons made from?

Medieval maces usually had long handles that were sometimes made of wood or more commonly metal, mace weapons could be made of bronze, iron or steel, but the most common metal used to make a medieval mace weapon was probably bronze. If a mace weapon was to be used for any ceremonial purposes it could even be made from gold or silver.

Heavy metal mace

What type of weapon was Medieval mace

The Medieval mace was a close combat weapon that was classed as being a clubbing and bruising type of weapon, it was not designed to cut skin and draw blood, this meant that the medieval mace could be used by churchmen or clerics who were not allowed to draw blood in combat in medieval times. The later medieval mace heads looked similar to the design of a dart flight. Medieval maces were light weapons and they had a security chain at the bottom of the handle for the soldiers wrist to stop the weapon being lost in close combat fighting situations.

Who used medieval maces

Medieval Maces were often used in ceremonies by clerics, lawyers and royalty, it was also a weapon that was commonly associated with the medieval knight, used in medieval tournaments in melee and joust contests.

Gothic mace weapons

During the medieval period mace weapons were being upgraded along with other medieval weapons and during the Gothic period the Gothic mace was introduced, it had a thicker shaft in the grip area and a guard and pommel was added that was similar to what you would find on a medieval sword handle.

A German Knight Holding a German Heavy Mace

History of the Medieval mace weapon

Medieval maces were believed to have been used in the 10th century and they are depicted as a weapon used by the Normans in the Bayeux tapestry, maces are also shown in the maciejowski Bible of the 13th century and it is known that the Nomads and Turks used medieval mace weapons in combat that had animal head designs.

The morning Star – a medieval mace weapon?

The morning Star is a type of medieval mace, it combined the mace design with spear points. The head of the morning Star looks like a pineapple head, some historians have also suggested that the morning Star was a type of flail weapon attached to the staff by a chain, however this is not the common view taken. The head of the morning Star weapon can also be described as looking similar to a star with the head being globular and spiked.

Medieval mace weapon facts:

The Medieval mace was a heavy club weapon with a metal head

Medieval maces could be made from bronze, iron, steel, silver or gold

Silver and gold maces were used for ceremonial purposes

Medieval mace heads usually had an additional spike added to them

There were many different types of medieval mace designs but there were all similar

A common medieval mace head design was the spiked ball

The Bayeux tapestry depicts soldiers using medieval maces

The first records of medieval maces being used is around the 10th century

Medieval maces were used by lawyers, clerics, royalty, footsoldiers and knights.

Gothic maces were introduced in later medieval periods with thicker shafts at the grip